How to vote, August 5, 2014

Today is a primary election day in Michigan and many other states. While we can't speak for all things everywhere, we thought it might be generous to offer a few bits of advice on how to vote just the same. Some ideas are general and some are specific, but hopefully they help a bit.

The more local an election is the more important your vote becomes. Don't be too concerned over a Congressional election or a statewide race because we all know that, within reason, your vote won't matter. Most statewide races will have too many votes cast to make a difference and larger districts are gerrymandered so that they will almost certainly go one way come November so that whomever wins today won't matter. Yet the votes closer to home, especially things such as a county commissioner and city councils in smaller cities, naturally mean more. A few select votes may in fact matter, and many political careers are born through lesser offices. Choose wisely there, for toady and the future.

If your primary is a foregone conclusion, then vote in the other party's. It's great fun in a childishly evil way, and if the parties are stupid enough to have open primaries then they deserve to bitten through such tactics. Vote for the person you feel would most help your party in November just for the fun of it. It's passive/aggressive excitement!

Don't worry about judgeships, except the most local ones as reflected upon above. On the big issues they aren't to to rule they way you want them too anyway, seeing as even legal institutions aren't very concerned with law so much as reflecting what they perceive to be the general societal norms of the day. On the obvious issues of guilt and innocence they likely will do the right thing just the same as well. Don't fret judicial elections.

Vote for Proposal 1. The personal property tax on small businesses is a nuisance, and unfair. Yes, as per our instructions, this being a statewide initiative means your vote won't matter. Vote on that anyhow. One can't cast ballots for fairness too often.

There you have it. Look for our sage wisdom again in November and as for today, you're welcome.

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Charles Martin Cosgriff is a writer, teacher, and long standing conservative commentator and blogger. He has lived in Detroit, Michigan and Wayne County all his life and can be reached through wickyroll@aol.com.